Walk to Work Day 2018 goes big

Posted Monday April 09, 2018 by Jodie Medeiros

On Thursday, April 5, approximately ten thousand people walked all or part of their commute in celebration of the 6th annual Walk to Work Day.

San Francisco is one of the most walkable cities in the country, and it’s getting even better — because events like Walk to Work Day help remind everyone that all our trips start and end with walking, and we are all pedestrians. We all benefit from safer, more pleasant streets for people on foot and in wheelchairs.

Walk to Work Day is also a day for celebrating everything we love about walking in San Francisco! We hope that on this Walk to Work Day, you discovered something new in our great city.

Bill McLeod – William Mercer McLeod Photography

Thank you

Thank you to everyone who walked, however long and however far, and made this Walk to Work Day a special event to remember.

A special thanks to our 50+ volunteers who staffed our Hubs and gave away over 1,000 Walk to Work Day bags, lights, BART tickets, and treats — all with glowing enthusiasm in the early morning! (Save the date for Walk SF’s Volunteer Appreciation Party on April 26!)

Some of our awesome volunteers are pictured at left with Walk SF staffers and Mayor Farrell.

Walk to Work Day would not be possible without the support of our corporate and city sponsors. Thank you for your support in so many ways!

Bill McLeod – William Mercer McLeod Photography

Leadership for safer streets citywide

On the steps of City Hall, we heard strong commitments on Vision Zero—the goal to end all severe and fatal traffic crashes in SF — from Mayor Farrell, seven Supervisors, the Chiefs of Police and Fire, and other city leaders.

We will translate the energy and momentum of this Walk to Work Day into action for safer streets for people of all ages and all abilities throughout our city.

Some people walked really far: Roseda was our winner for #LongestWalkingCommute — she covered 7.4 miles traversing the entire city (and from the photo at left, looks like she was having fun doing it)!

As far as we know that was the longest commute, but it was far from the only long commute. Many more documented long walks through the dawn to work. And Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer and her staff walked all the way to City Hall from the outer Richmond. Very impressive!

Participants took photos as they walked, winning contests for #BestShoeBling, #MostInterestingSight, and more. To see photos, you can search for #Walk2WorkDay on social media, and check out our Facebook photo album.

Bill McLeod – William Mercer McLeod Photography

Safer streets in SoMa

Walk SF kicked off the commute in SoMa, where, with Supervisor Jane Kim, SFMTA Director Ed Reiskin, and community members, we turned on a brand new mid-block crossing signal at Howard and Russ Streets. This will be a great help for pedestrians, especially the families and seniors who need to cross every day to reach the school and park.

Fixes like these are much needed in SoMa, where wide streets and fast traffic make most of its major streets among the most dangerous in the city. On Walk to Work Day, we’re bringing attention to what it’s like to walk — and fixes like these that make walking safer and more pleasant for everyone.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s event, and mark your calendar for April 11, 2019 for the 7th Annual Walk to Work Day!